Joe Green

Joe E. Green, 77, of Overland Park, Kansas, beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away on April 21, 2009.

Joe was born on December 4, 1931 in Independence, Missouri to Lester and Virgie Green. Joe, an Eagle Scout, a member of the Tribe of Mic-O-Say, and a high school football and basketball player, graduated in 1949 from Manual Vocational High School where he studied the printing trade.

While in high school, he apprenticed with Putnam Printing in Kansas City, Missouri until earning his union card with the International Typographical Union. Over the next dozen years, Joe worked for a variety of printing companies including Packard Publishing, the Kansas City Times, and the Kansas City Labor Beacon.

Joe lacked a college education or any formal business training. However, his work ethic and ambition enabled him to pursue his dream of owning his own business. As a result, Joe founded Printing Consultants in 1962. Two years later he merged the business with Packaging Consultants, creating the firm, originally called Printing and Packaging Specialists, which he would own and manage for the 47 years until his death. PPS, Inc. has grown and evolved into a national leader in the industrial screen printing and membrane switch industry.

He was recognized throughout the American printing community as an innovative entrepreneur and an industry leader. Joe contributed to and assumed leadership roles in numerous professional organizations in the printing industry. Additionally, Joe was actively involved in the American Management Association, including 20 years of service on the its Council for Growing Organizations. Joe was once referred to by an AMA colleague as "the ultimate American entrepreneur."

On Christmas Eve of 1952, Joe received a holiday greeting from Uncle Sam requesting the honor of his service in the United States Army. After basic training as a member of the 101st Airborne Screaming Eagles at Camp Breckenridge, Kentucky, he was deployed to Crailsheim Army Base in southern Germany where he served as a military courier. He was discharged in mid-December of 1954. Following his arrival in Wichita, Kansas on a military transport plane, Joe spent his most of his mustering-out pay on a 180-mile taxi ride back to Kansas City so that he could be reunited on Christmas Eve with his bride of four years, Betty.

Joe was actively involved in his children's activities including coaching sports teams and serving as a scout leader. He played the guitar, loved to read, excelled at golf, and was a skilled carpenter who built his first home. An avid outdoorsman, Joe took his family on annual vacations to the Lake of the Ozarks where they boated, fished, and water-skied.

Joe is survived by his devoted wife of 18 years, Jan. He also leaves behind his son Lee, his son Lane and daughter-in-law Susan, his grandchildren Joseph and Susie Green, his daughter Lisa and son-in-law Mike Brown, his grandsons Justin and Cody Brown, his brother Floyd and sister-in-law Jerry, and his mother-in-law, Edie Borror. Joe was preceded in death by his first wife, Betty, and his daughter Lynne.

Joe's children and grandchildren are especially grateful to his loving wife Jan for her unwavering and selfless care of their father and grandfather during his extended illness.

The family suggests contributions to Boy Scouts of America.